Developer Gregorio Zanon has announced uPhase+ – a new app for iOS that’s designed to let you improvise with phased sequences.
As shown in the above demo, uPhase lets you play sequences of different lengths against each other, creating complex patterns. This type of canonical phasing is a key element in Steve Reich’s early electronic and acoustic work.
To make things even more interesting, uPhase+ lets you distribute your sequences over a collection of networked iOS devices.
Here’s an example of ‘interactive minimalism’ using this feature:
The devices can be physically separated to add a spatial dimension to the sequences.
uPhase+ is schedule to be released Nov 27th. Pricing is TBA.
See the uPhase+ site for more details and examples.
This looks very interesting. I’m going to get this one!
One thing that would make this less “minimalist” is if there was a “meta sequencer” where each step represented a whole sequence. That way you could create sequences to represent different chords, or a verse and a chorus– then have the app play those each of those elements in a sequence– even changing sounds for them.
It would also be cool if the step rate of each sequencer could be scaled so things like 3 vs 4, or 4 vs 5 could be achieved.
I suppose the current version could be a lite version (cheap/free) and the version with a meta level could be a “pro” version.
Hi!
uPhase dev here.
1)Just to clarify : you can change patterns (the boxes at the top left allow you to do just that). To do it automatically, sequencer like, poses a tricky problem : how long is a sequence? if individual patterns have different lengths and meters, where do you “cut”? uPhase+ is not designed to be a sequencer, but a live instrument. You can memorize patterns and sessions, and load them on the fly without stopping the audio.
2)Indeed it would. Indeed you can! Meters of every display can be adjusted independently in 16ths of a beat. So, if you wish to superpose 9,11 and 13 you can. You can also change the tempo (one display at 200bpm, one at 199 for example), although this feature is still not fully documented yet.
3)uPhase will release for 5$. If the sales are good enough, I will bu they licenses I need to add more features such as recording, audio copy, midi…
In the meantime, I hope you can have fun with uPhase for what it is : a live minimalist instrument.
Cheers,
Gregorio
Pro version with MIDI support!
Steve Reich-ish! I like it alot.
I feel like this is more poly-rhymic as opposed to playing with phase
Phasing can occur at different levels.
Steve Reich “Piano Phase” phasing is one thing (and is doable with uPhase).
The phasing of interlaced patterns another.
It’s mainly a difference in scale.
I’ll try to post a “Piano Phase” like example soon…
Cheers,
Gregzo
https://vimeo.com/54020301